Saturday, May 14 The National Association of Letter Carriers, in conjunction with the Rural Carriers and the U.S. Postal Service, will conduct a Food Drive to help restock community food banks. This year’s event will be held as part of the nationwide response to the ever- increasing need for food in the battle against hunger. Residents of Hudson and Litchfield are asked to leave non-perishable food items by their mailboxes on Saturday, May 14, for pickup by their carriers. All food collected will stay in Hudson and Litchfield food banks. Thank you and may this be another successful year for the ones in need.

Are you interested in helping your local environment while spending time outside? Learn to be a Volunteer Lake Host for either Robinson or Ottarnic Pond. A Volunteer Lake Host Training will take place from 9am-11am at the boat launch at Robinson Pond. Volunteers will be trained by the New Hampshire Lakes Association Lake Host TM Program and will learn how to identify the invasive weeds that are taking over our local ponds. After the training, volunteers will be asked to work short weekday or weekend shifts to educate boaters about these invasive plants in an effort to stop them from being spread. These are unpaid positions that are ideal for retirees or mature students wanting to improve their community. To register for the training or for more information, call Jim at 881-9371.

Wednesday, May 18 The Greater Hudson Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Community Expo from 4-7 p.m. at Alvirne High School, 200 Derry Road (Route 102), Hudson. This event will showcase Alvirne’s activity groups and organizations, and it will allow local businesses the opportunity to introduce their products and services to the public. It is also a great chance for the community to meet with and learn more about the many businesses in the area. The Greater Hudson Chamber is offering exhibitor space and sponsorship opportunities. Any business interested in participating can contact the Greater Hudson Chamber office at 889- 4731. The Expo will be open to the public at no cost. There will be raffles and giveaways. For more information, visit the Greater Hudson Chamber of Commerce Website at www.hudsonchamber.com, or contact the office at 889-4731.

Friday, June 3 The fourth annual Jeanie Barkley Memorial Blood Drive and Marrow Registry will be held from noon to 7 p.m. at the Hudson Community Center, 12 Lions Avenue, Hudson. Donation is easy…if you are healthy, at least 17 years old, weigh more than 110 pounds, and haven’t given blood in the past eight weeks, you can donate. With the start of summer, there is an urgent need for blood. Blood supplies are low and donations are down. The American Red Cross needs our help. To schedule an appointment for blood donation, call 1-800- RED-CROSS. We are hoping to collect 150 units of blood and add as many names to the National Marrow Donor Program registry. Just a little bit of time out of your hectic schedule can help give the gift of life.

Saturday, June 4 The Alvirne High School Friends Of Music will sponsor the New Hampshire State Championship 9th Annual Chili Cookoff at 211 Derry Road, Hudson (across from Alvirne High School), from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is an admission fee, which includes the chili tasting. Come on out and sample some great chili for a great cause.

Library

Wednesday, May 18 Children age 9-11 are invited to join Miss Carrie-Anne’s Book Bunch at the Aaron Cutler Memorial Library, 269 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield, at 4 p.m. The group will discuss Danny Champion of the World by Roald Dahl and complete a craft.

Thursday, May 19 The Aaron Cutler Memorial Library will hold a Stuffed Animal Sleepover. Stuffed animals may be dropped off from 5-7 p.m. Bedtime stories and lullabies will begin at 6:30 p.m. Hear about their sleepover activities when you pick them up on Friday!

Saturday, May 21 Kathy Spencer, author of How to Shop for Free: Shopping Secrets for Smart Women Who Love to Get Something for Nothing, will be offering her popular Extreme Couponing class at the Rodgers Memorial Library from 10 a.m. to noon. Kathy has appeared on Inside Edition and Good Morning America, where she whittled her $268 grocery bill down to one penny! Her exciting coupon classes teach attendees how to find the best savings and combine them with store promotions, coupons, rewards programs, and store credit to get almost anything for free. Kathy’s classes are informative, interactive, and attendees walk away with a stack of coupons to start saving right away! This class is a benefit fundraiser for the Friends of the Hudson Library. There is a cost for the class and a portion of the proceeds will help the Friends in their support of library programs. Space is limited. To register, go to rml.eventbrite.com, or contact the library by calling 886-6030, ext. 4522.

Meetings

Saturday, May 14 There will be a meeting of the Litchfield Historical Society at 2 p.m. at the Historical Society Building, 255 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield. New members are welcome.

Thursday, May 19 The next meeting of the Litchfield Seniors will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Litchfield Community Church, 259 Charles Bancroft Highway. Participants are asked to bring along something that they have that they no longer want or like for a silent auction fundraiser. There will also be a business meeting and election of officers. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Pat Jewett at 424-6636, or Betty Darling at 429-1315.

Wednesday, May 25 The Hudson Historical Society will hold their annual meeting and election of officers, and committee reports will be given. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m., and will be held at the Hills House, 211 Derry Road, Hudson.

School Activities

Now through Wednesday, June 1 The Nottingham West Lions Club in Hudson will award continuing education scholarships to students who have completed one year of higher education. Applicants must be a resident of Hudson and a student, in good standing, at a college or vocational training program. Applications are available by contacting Jeri Maynard, Scholarship Committee Chairperson, at 883-8565 or by email at: Lionjeri@comcast.net. The deadline for the continuing education scholarships application is June 1.

Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14 Alvirne High School’s Class Act is very proud to present the production of The Laramie Project, written by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project. This thought-provoking theatrical event will take place at 7 p.m. both days at Alvirne High School. The Laramie Project began one month after the brutal beating of gay college student Matthew Shepard on the outskirts of Laramie, WY. The Tectonic Theatre Project conducted interviews with over 200 Laramie residents to document how this small town responded to a vicious crime, reacted to media coverage, and reflected on the attitudes and actions that either embraced or separated a community. The Laramie Project is intended for a mature audience. There is a cost for the tickets.

School Activities

Monday, May 16 A mandatory Parents’ Meeting for any student playing Campbell football in fall of 2011 will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Campbell High School Gym. Please contact Head Coach Marc Prindiville at 231-7796 if you are unable to attend this meeting.

Tuesday, May 17 Campbell High School Principal Bob Manseau will host a “Coffee With the Administrators” from 7-7:30 a.m. in the CHS library. Parents of Campbell students are welcome to come for light refreshments and conversation.

Monday, May 23 The Litchfield Middle School (LMS) After- School Parent Advisory Group will be meeting in the LMS Library at 6 p.m. All parents are encouraged to attend this meeting. For more information, please contact Robbin Kopaczynski at 682-9984 or rkopaczynski@comcast.net, or you may visit the program’s Website at http://lms. litchfieldsd.org/afterschool.

Sports &#38; Recreation

Saturday, May 21 The Litchfield Girls Softball League will hold their annual “Family Fun Day.” The event will be held at the Darrah Pond fields on Woodhawk Way, Litchfield, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. This event is open to all and admission is free. There will be softball games going on all day, as well as face painting, a bounce house, an inflatable obstacle course, cake walk, carnival-type games, raffles, great food, and much more. The Litchfield Police will be on hand with a radar gun, so come on down and see how fast you can throw. There will also be ice cream, popcorn, and baked goods. All proceeds will benefit the Litchfield Girls’ Softball League Scholarship fund.

Monday, May 23 The St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School in Litchfield will hold its first Annual Golf Tournament at the Passaconaway Country Club, 12 Midway Avenue, Litchfield. Registration will be held at 7:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The tournament will be scramble format. Pre-registration is required, and details and online registration can be found at www.StFrancisGolfTourney. org. For more information, contact sfa-golf@myfairpoint.net.

Monday, June 13 Litchfield Lacrosse Association will hold its Annual General Meeting at 7 p.m. at Romano’s Pizza in Litchfield. We will be holding elections for all Board of Director positions. For further details about a position, e-mail lacrosse.litchfield@gmail. com. Residents from Litchfield and surrounding towns without an existing lacrosse program are welcome to run for positions. The meeting is open to the public. Interested parties must state their intentions by contacting lacrosse.litchfield@gmail.com by June 1.

Thursday, June 16 Registration for the upcoming Hudson Summer Tennis Program will be held on Thursday, June 16, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Hudson Recreation Center, 2 Oakwood Street. The lessons are in two-week sessions at a cost of $40 per session. No early registrations will be accepted.

Friday, June 24 Registration for the Fall Soccer Program will be held from 3-8 p.m. at the Community Center, 12 Lion Avenue, Hudson, and will continue through July. Anyone registering after that will be charged a late fee.